Dubai Design Week 2016: What to do, see, experience

Design season is back and the year's most anticipated event promises more appreciation, inspiration and celebration.

The region's premier design festival, Dubai Design Week, has unveiled its comprehensive progamme list and fixtures for this year's event. Doubling in size from the inaugural festival last year, this year's edition sees 150 events held at Dubai Design District (d3) as well as across the emirate, from exhibitions and installations to talks and workshops.

"With over 550 designers from around the world gathering in Dubai, Dubai Design Week is set to be a dynamic and diverse six days," said Rawan Kashkoush, Head of Programming. "Dubai, as an international hub and where creativity flourishes within the mix of its rich heritage and exponential rise as a modern city, serves as a perfect backdrop for the event."

The highly popular Downtown Design returns with luxury silversmith Christofle serving up one of the main highlights with the unveiling of its stunning new grandfather's clock. As a special treat, Gabriele Ciave, Creative Director at Marcel Wanders, will also be present at the Christofle stand.

Other highlights within the week's must-experience programme include the Global Grad Show, Abwab and Iconic City: Cairo Now! City Incomplete. The Global Grad Show brings graduates from over 50 universities worldwide to showcase their innovations while Abwab with its six pavilions – Algeria, Bahrain, India, Iraq, Palestine and the UAE – is a unique display of commissions that is based around the theme 'The Human Senses'. Meanwhile, Iconic City: Cairo Now! City Incomplete celebrates Egypt's emerging artists through the discovery of the burgeoning design scene.

Also, expect talks by renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava who is commissioned by not only the Dubai Expo 2020 Pavilion but also the newly unveiled The Tower, set to be Dubai's tallest structure. As well, a specially handpicked group of installations by a mix of local and international designers, will be placed around the city, further adding to Dubai's vibrant outlook.